News

ITM BARRIER TRIALS SET FOR JULY 12TH AT DUNDALK

05 July 2018

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, in cooperation with the IHRB
and Dundalk Stadium, is coordinating another set of barrier trials at Dundalk
on July 12th.

As was the case for the initial pair of trials staged early
in May, two trials will be run before racing, with both restricted to
unraced juveniles and run over five furlongs. Those being entered will be in
the care of licensed trainers and ridden by licensed riders under
catchweights.

At the time of going to press, the two trials staged on May
6th have produced three individual maiden winners. While those
results are welcome, the primary reason these trials are being held is to
promote sales of unraced horses to certain lucrative markets.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, for example, last month issued
permits for 310 unraced ‘griffin’ horses to enter its system into 2019. ITM
believes that staging barrier trials starts addressing this demand for untapped
potential from prominent racing jurisdictions.

As such, and where possible, ITM has tried to prioritise
entry to the upcoming trials for horses that connections wish to sell unraced.
The trials for July 12th are full, but another date is set for
August 17th, also at Dundalk.

The trials will again be recorded, placed online and
released via ITM’s social media channels to assist with potential sales.

Entries will cost €150 payable to Dundalk with a provision
for €50 for the jockey made via the entry page on www.itm.ie.